E.S.
Whoever heard of a mouse who can’t eat cheese? Poor Dolores is distraught when her doctor tells her that her love of cheese is causing her to break out in itchy spots. With the date of the Everything Cheese Festival approaching, resourceful Dolores concocts a plan. With the encouragement of her pals and the help of her mom, Dolores learns that her food allergy can be managed and that there is life after Cheddar. Fans of these adorable mice will enjoy both the fast-paced story and the colorful illustrations, which are filled with humorous details. Children with their own food allergy issues will empathize with and appreciate the irrepressible Dolores.

Recommended in SLJ, Publishers Weekly, Book List and Kirkus.

E.S.
When a pampered penthouse pooch meets a stray dog from the wrong side of the city it’s only a matter of time before their instant attraction leads to heartbreak. Sounds a lot like Lady and the Tramp to me. This time worn formula is the basis of the plot, in which a refined poodle breaks loose from her owner only to be rescued by a downtown dog who knows his way around New York. Of course, the romance is not doomed and the story ends with the happy couple and their precious puppies walking peacefully with their wealthy owner. Softly colored illustrations are appealing but do not help this story rise above predictability.

Additional in Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly and SLJ. Kirkus liked it.

E.S.
A young boy’s desktop comes alive in this fantasy, but there is not a computer in sight. Instead, traditional pens, pencils and erasers are the stars of this tale in which a young boy falls asleep before doing his homework and the writing implements spring into action. Creative differences lead to much bickering between the writing implements until the cantankerous bunch finally comes together to create a story. After awakening, the boy finds his homework a splotchy mess, but he is inspired to write his own story. Children may find the name-calling and silliness amusing, but the illustrations are really the best part of this book. Vividly colored watercolor pictures take on a cartoon like quality when the desk characters come to life. (Think “Sponge Bob” meets “Office Depot“.) It’s a cute idea, but not an absolute must buy.

Booklist, Horn Book, and SLJ liked it. Kirkus did not recommend it.

E.S. This well written, well-illustrated biography of Teddy Roosevelt received starred reviews from School Library Journal and from Horn Book, calling Don Brown a good orator who tells readers what he's going to say, says it and then tells them what he's said. The only complaint that Booklist had was that the quotes used were unsourced.
This reveiwer agrees with all the above notations and adds that the illustrations of Teddy R. as he grows up get absolutely spectacular and really added to the text. This basic biography belongs in all school and public library collections for it gives an authentic picture of a great American president.

Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal all recommend this basic biography as does this reviewer. Early aviator Harriet Quimby's daredevil and glamorous life is well presented, and her sad death at a Boston airshow in 1912 is well described and will not give children nightmares. Catherine Stock's illustrations are wonderful, and the nice timelines, author's notes make this a must purchase for aviation and women's history sections. Harriet Quimby turned her dreams into reality and she should get notice as an person of historic importance like Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman. The bibliography even includes articles written by Quimby herself.

OMG, not another Clementine or Junie B. Jones. Yes, thank goodness "Dessert First" is indeed. Dessert Schneider is a typical third grader who loves her new teacher's instructions for the class to "march to your own drummer." To get a tree house for their playground, each of Dessert's classmates is to sign a contract with their family to pay $2 for each day that the third grader gives up a favorite item. Dessert dilly dallies in choosing what she'll give up and pigs out on her favorite dessert, set aside for a special occasion.
Okay? Another one of those books? No. Here is where Dessert First stands alone as a really good addition to any library collection. Dessert's teacher helps her work through the consequences she faces by making that bad decision to eat all the chocolate bars. This gives this beginning chapter book a satisfying conclusion. Combining this ending with the child-centered perspective of the book with its endearing main character with her up and down moods makes Dessert First a winner.

Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal all like this series a lot and so does the reviewer.
Frankie Pickle (Franklin Piccolini) is a totally authentic fourth grade. He imagines himself as a superhero, and the book alternates between Frankie's superhero fantasies in graphic novel form and the reality of Frankie's life and his refusal to clean his room or himself. Frankie's mother tells him"Okay, deal with the consequences" which he refuses to clean his room and the results are totally believable. Even reluctant readers will be charmed and want more Frankie Pickle books. Adults, including librarians, will like this series as Frankie is endearing. He is funny without being a smart-aleck. For all collections!

ES
Stanza and his brothers Dirge and Fresco are bullies who spend all day annoying and chasing others. But at night, unbeknownst to his brothers, Stanza loves to write poetry about all different topics. His biggest fear is that his brothers will find out about his poetry writing and laugh at him and tear up all his poems. But one day he sees a poster advertising a cash prize for first place in a contest to come up with four rhyming lines to use in advertisements for the dog treat “Snappers.” When the winners announced, Stanza sees that his entry came in second place. He’s sad that he didn’t’ win, but feels even worse when his brothers find out that he entered the contest. They make fun of him, call him a sissy, and then find his hidden stash of poems and make a mess of them. But when Stanza and his brothers find out that the second place prize is a year-supply of Snappers, his brothers beg him to share with them. Stanza agrees to do so as long as they display their tru e talents, which turns out to be art for Fresco and music for Dirge. Told in verse, it is a nice, simple story about bullying and being yourself, as well as being about poetry.

BL, HB, K: Recommended

ES
This biography of Charles Darwin is interspersed with snippets of his own journals and letters. Unfortunately for younger students, these snippets are written in script and thus will be unreadable to those who have not yet learned script. The biography does a nice job though of describing Darwin’s interest in science from an early age and the obstacles he had to overcome to pursue his studies. His own father believed he spent too much time doing experiments instead of his schoolwork and sent him to study medicine to become a doctor. When this field was not to Darwin’s liking, his father then sent him to another school to become a pastor. And when one of his professors invited him on a voyage to study plants and animals in South America, Charles had to enlist the help of his uncle to convince his father that it was a worthwhile venture. Also evident in the book is Darwin’s struggle to come to terms with the theory that he would become known for. While he had always belie ved that God created all living things, he started to believe that species changed over time in order to survive different circumstances. He wrote his theories in journals and only shared them with close friends for years. When he finally published The Origin of the Species he did receive the attacks he feared, but others defended his studies and theories. Eventually he was able to reconcile both of his belief systems: “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one. . . . from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

BL, HB, K: Starred
SLJ, PW: Recommended